Multiple drum-type magazine of particular utility with rocket-boosted ammunition and featuring radially inward helical feed toward a common reciprocal feed slide



y 1968 K. .1. J. M GOWAN 3,382,765

MULTIPLE DRUM'TYPE MAGAZINE OF PARTICULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTEDAMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMONRECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l *5 aa I I 1/ r- (\l 1 I LO N l I d,-- Q q If) 1 I 2% n j 01 CO I (\l N I N I(\l s C 3 O INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN ATTORNEYS.

K. J. J. M GOWAN MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE 0F PARTICULAR UTILITY WITHROCKET-BOOSTED AMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May14, 1968 INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON REGIPROCAL FEED SLIDEOriginal Filed Aug. 10, 1965 INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN W *LW-h- ATTORNEYS.

May 14, 1968 K. J. J. MCGOWAN 3,382,765

MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE OF PARTICULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTEDAMMUNITION AND FEATURING RADIALLY INWARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMONRECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .9 Hi G;

F m E(2) m D) Bi C(4) 8(5) E L? ML M B A INVENTOR.

KENNETH J. J. McGOWAN BY h a.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent MULTIPLE DRUM-TYPE MAGAZINE 0F PARTIC-ULAR UTILITY WITH ROCKET-BOOSTED AM- M'UNETEGN AND FEATURING RADIALLYIN- WARD HELICAL FEED TOWARD A COMMON RECIPROCAL FEED SLIDE Kenneth E.J. McGowan, Richmond, Ind., assignor to Avco Corporation, Richmond,Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application Nov. 1, 1966, Ser. No.591,288, now Patent No. 3,331,282, dated July 18, 1967, which is adivision of application Ser. No. 478,570, Aug. 10, 1965, now Patent No.3,315,567, dated Apr. 25, 1967. Divided and this appiication Mar. 29,1967, Ser. No. 626,816

2 Claims. (Cl. 89-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is an ammunitionsupply. A plurality of cylindrical magazines are positioned side byside, defining a feed path. Each magazine comprises a helically woundammunition guide having an output end and spring means for urging theammunition toward the output end. A common delivery slide is disposedtransversely of all of the output ends and along the feed path. Eachmagazine has a pawl pivotally mounted adjacent its output end and thedelivery slide for the purpose of sensing whether a round of ammunitionis present in the slide adjacent the output and associated with thatpawl. When the answer is negative, a magazine whose pawl supplies thenegative answer supplies a round to the delivery slide. The slide isprovided with gauging means so that as it makes an advance stroke, oneround of ammunition at a time is supplied to an ammunition feeder.

Recital of copending cases and general description of environment Thepresent patent application is a division of Kenneth J. l. McGowan patentapplication Ser. No. 591,288, filed Nov. 1, 1966, entitled, AmmunitionFeeder for Automatic Launcher for Rocket-Boosted Ammunition, hereinafterreferred to as the parent patent application, now U.S. Patent 3,331,282,issued July 18, 1967, and patent application Ser. No. 591,288 is in turna division of Kenneth J. I. McGowan patent application Ser. No. 478,570,filed Aug. 10, 1965, entitled, Automatic Launcher for Rocket-BoostedAmmunition, now U.S. Patent 3,315,567, issued Apr. 25, 1967. Both of theaforementioned patent applications are assigned to the same assignee asthe present application and invention. By way of further introduction ofthe present invention, the launcher and the ammunition feeder of thegrandparent and parent applications are now briefly described, so that atypical environment in which a magazine in accordance with the presentinvention is usefully employed may be understood. For full detailsrelating to said launcher and ammunition feeder, kindly make referenceto the randparent patent application, now U.S. Patent No. 3,315,567issued Apr. 25, 1967, and to the parent patent application now U.S.Patent No. 3,331,282 issued July 18, 1967.

The field of invention The present invention relates to ordnance andspecifically to magazines of particular utility for use with rocketlaunchers. An object of the invention is to provide a magazine forsupplying ammunition, comprising a helically wound guide having anoutput and means including a drive spring and a 'belt for urgingammunition contained in said guide toward said output.

3,382,765 Patented May 14-, 1868 A related object of the invention is toprovide an ammunition supply comprising:

A plurality of magazines, positioned side by side, each magazinecomprising a helically wound guide having an output end and means forurging ammunition toward the output end;

A common delivery slide disposed transversely of all of the output ends;

Individual pawl means disposed adjacent each output end and said commondelivery slide for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition ispresent in said delivery slide adjacent the associated output end, andin the event that the answer is negative, for permitting a round to besupplied to said delivery slide by the magazine having said output end;

And ganged means for driving out of said slide the rounds present insaid delivery slide, one at a time.

Description of drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bolt,operating rod group, barrel, and round feed mechanism of an automaticrocket launcher in accordance with the invention of United Statesgrandparent patent application Scr. No. 478,570, filed Aug. 10, 1965,now U.S. Patent 3,315,567, issued Apr. 25, 1967, as taken from the pointof view of an observer located laterally to the right and upwardly andrearwardly of the rocket launcher, this figure showing the relationshipamong the parts at the beginning of extraction of the bolt after firinga round;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the rocket launcher receiver frame and arack movable inwardly toward the ammunition-receiving opening of thelauncher of FIG. 1, showing the relationships among the magazine feed,the receiver, and the ammunition opening;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an improved magazine construction inaccordance with the present invention, as used with the FIGS. 1-2launcher;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the FIG. 3 magazine;

FIG. 5 is a view of the FIGS. 3-4 magazine as installed in a rocketlauncher;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are top plan and elevational views of an alternate form ofimproved magazine according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the alternate form of magazine astaken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevational View of a complete ammunition supply includinga plurality of magazines per FIGS. 68;

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are views showing the progression of rounds ofammunition, these figures being used as aids in explaining the operationof the FIG. 9 ammunition pp y;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views showing the common delivery slideand the operation of the sensing pivoted pawl which is provided for eachmagazine section, these figures showing such operation under thefollowing conditions: first, when the pawl is holding ammunitionstationary in a given magazine, and second, when the pawl is permittinga round to be dropped from a magazine section into the delivery slide.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown the general arrangement of an automaticlauncher for rocket-boosted ammunition in accordance with thegrandparent patent application.

This rocket launcher comprises the usual fore and aft extending barrel20 and a receiver frame 21, rigidly secured thereto. The receiver frameconstitutes the rear portion of the gun assembly. The bolt 22 slidesalong the receiver axis. The ammunication receiving opening 30, extendslaterally and to the right, out of the receiver. The receiver framehouses those elements of the gun which are relatively stationary withrespect to the bolt 22, the operating rod group 23, and ammunition feedslide 24.

The ammunition feeder mechanism includes a feed slide 24, a rack 25, andsprings 26 and 27. The ammunition feeder is fully described in theaforementioned parent patent application.

In this weapon a bolt 22 closes the firing chamber when the gun is inbattery. The bolt is generally cylindrical in form and is provided withtwo L-shaped Wings 40 and 41 which are apertured to provide bearings 42and 43, so that the bolt is slidably reciprocally mounted on asymmeitical pair of rods 44 and 45. It will be understood that the boltcarries an appropriate firing pin (not shown).

The bolt wings 4t and 41 are secured to the rear ends of compressionsprings 34- and 35, which are coiled around rod 44 and 45, and, uponretraction of the operating rod group 23, are compressed to supply energfor retraction of the bolt. Accordingly, the front ends of these springs34- and 35 are secured effectively to caps 36 and 58 on the front endsof the rods 44 and 45. It should be noted that the bolt 22 is at alltimes positioned in front of the H-shaped ganging member 36 of theoperating rod group.

The bolt chambers the ammunition. When locked, it provide a closure forthe rear end of the firing chamber. Additionally, in response to gaspressures, the bolt moves slidably rearwardly, providing the impulsewhich drives the operating group 23 to the rear. Then the bolt isarrested as the retracting motion of the operating rod group continues,as will be later described.

The bolt 22 and the operating rod group 23 advance together as a roundis chambered preparatory to firing. After firing of a round and a smallinitial displacement of the bolt and operating rod, the bolt 22 stopswhile the operating rod group 23 fully retracts, causing the bolt to beunlocked by means not herein shown, whereupon the bolt is fullyretracted. The bolt is held in retracted position while the cross-feedslide 24 feeds a new round into the bore line of the launcher.

The operating rod group 23 comprise the H-shaped ganging member 36 andfour rods 45, 48, 44, and 56, all slidable together in trombone fashionrelative to the frame, because of the mounting provided by two bearingssuch as 49, mounted on the receiver frame, and the cylinders 54, 55,etc., in which the rods slide.

A frontal plate 53 is secured on the barrel front, and this plateprovides a mounting for the front end of cylinders 54, 55, etc., inwhich the rods 48, 44, t and 45 and this frontal caps such as 57, 46,47, and 58 reciprocate. Spring is secured to a cap 58 and spring 32 issecured to a cap 57.

Shown in FIG. 2 is a dual purpose latching means 28. The latching means28 normally restrains the feed slide 24 in outboard position, but itresponds to retraction to the bolt 22 to latch the bolt rearwardly andsimultaneously to free the feed slide 24 to permit the feed slide tomove inboard. The latch 28 is so proportioned and arranged that, whenthe feed slide reaches a predetermined inboard displacement andcompletes the feeding of a round, the latch 28 is actuated to releasethe bolt 22 to permit the bolt to advance to drive a new around intobattery position.

In FIG. 2 there is also shown a latching means 29 for restraining theoperating rod group in retracted position. This latching means 29 isreleased by retraction of bolt 22 to free the opearting means 23 fromrearward restraint.

On its right side the receiver is formed with a generally rectangularshaped, laterally extending ammunition receiving opening or mouth 39 towhich the small magazine of FIG. 5, for example, or the ammunitiondelivery slide of FIG. 9, is suitably attached. The operating rod latch29 and the dual purpose latching means 23 are pivotally secured to ashaft 31 which is located near the rear of the receiver and extends in adirection transverse to the axis of the receiver.

Also shown in FIG. 2 are one of the bolt retracting springs 35 and rod45 of the operating rod group.

Referring to FIG. 1 the discussion assumes that a round has just beenfired. Under these circumstances the bolt 22 is driven rearwardly andthe bolt in turn imparts momentum to the operating rod group. At asuitable point in the cycle the bolt is arrested (by means not hereinshown) but the rearward momentum of the operating rod group 23continues. As the operating rod group goes to the rear it causes therack 25 of the feeder mechanism to be moved inwardly (by means disclosedin the grandparent application), thereby stretching the springs 26 and27. Simultaneously the operating rod group causes the bolt retractionsprings 34 and 35 to be compressed. The operating rod advance springs 32and 33 are likewise compressed. Finally the operating rod motion isterminated and the operating rod group is latched to the rear by latch29. Immediately before the operating rod group becomes latched inretract position it causes the bolt to be released by means not hereinshown, whereupon the bolt retraction springs 34 and 35 push the boltrearwardly. When the bolt is fully retracted, it impacts and turns thelatch 29 on shaft 31, thus unlatching the operating rod group and thenboth the operating rod group 23 and the bolt 22 move slightly forwarduntil the latching means 23 arrests the bolt 22. At this phase of thecycle, control is transferred to the cross-feed slide 24, the bolt beinglatched by latch 23 and the operating rod group 23 being held to therear by the bolt 22 and the conditions being appropriate for theplacement of a new round in the bore line of the weapon.

Accordingly, the latch 28 releases the feed slide 24 so that it may bepulled inboard by springs 26 and 27 to perform the function ofcross-feeding a new round into the bore line. At the termination of thecross-feeding operation the bolt 22 is released by the latch 28,whereupon the bolt and operating rod group move forwardly, the boltchambering the newly fed round. The splined shaft 37 is turned clockwiseby the operating rod group as it advances, thus to move the rack 25 andthe cross-feed slide 24 into the outboard position so that thecross-feed slide may pick up a third round to be later fed at thetermination of the next firing operation.

Detailed description of the invention The magazine provided inaccordance with the invention is particularly adapted for use with therocket launcher and feed mechanisms of the grandparent and parent patentapplications, but it will be understood that it may be employed withother types of weapons.

In FIGS. 35 there is illustrated a preferred form of magazine inaccordance with the invention. The magazine there shown is proportionedfor twenty rounds, but this figure is furnished by way of representationand not limitation.

The main body of the magazine is formed as a spiral or helically woundguide 92 having an outer end 61 from which ammunition is delivered intomouth 30 and on to the cross-feed slide 24. In the detailed descriptionof the cross-feed slide in the parent patent application, reference ismade to magazine spring forces or the like, tending to urge thesuccessive rounds of ammunition inboard. This spring force is exerted bya torsion drive spring 93 mounted on a spool 62 which spool is biasedclockwise by the spring in such manner that it tends to pull the roundstoward and out of the delivery end of the magazine guide. A steel ribbonor belt 94 is wound first around the drive spool, then counterclockwisearound an idler 64 and then the inner surface of the outer wall of theguide, following the convolutions of said surface and terminating at aninner end secured to a follower type device 63. The drive spool tensesthe ribbon 94, and this tension is communi cated all along the ribbon tothe follower 63, which urges the last or trailing round, such as 65, andthe preceding train of rounds toward the output end of the guide. Inthis manner the round at the delivery end 61 is urged outboard at alltimes.

Provision is made for releasing the rounds one at a time by a round stoppawl 67 pivotally secured to the guide member. A ratchet and pawlmechanism generally indicated by the reference numeral 68, including aratchet releaselever 69, is provided so that the spring 93 may berewound and a replenished supply of ammunition fed to an empty magazineby pushing said rounds of ammunition into the guide through the outputend of the guide.

The guide is closed by a suitable cover member 70 and provided withretaining catches 71, 72 so that it may be secured to the exterior ofthe cross-feed mouth of the receiver in the manner indicated in FIG. 4,output end 61 being adjacent receiver mouth 30.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 showing an alternative formof magazine, again comprising a guide 100 having an output end 73.However, in this alternate version the belt-tensioning spring 101 islocated near the center of the guide rather than at the exterior, andthe ammunition train extends spirally inwardly. The rounds which are fedout of this magazine (of FIGS. 6-8) are not fed in a directiontransverse to the axis, but are fed in a direction parallel to thecentral axis of guide 100, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. '1.

Power is provided by a main spring 101 which actuates a belt take-upreel or spool 74. The belt is wound around this spool 74, and it can betraced around the outer surface of the inner wall of the guide spirallyoutwardly all the way around the last available round 75 of themagazine, thence spirally inwardly on the inner surface of the outerside of the guide until it terminates in a fixed anchor at 76.

At this part of the description of FIG. 8 it should be noted that round78 is in position to be fed in a direction transverse to the plane ofthe paper, or forwardly. That is to say, this round is moved into adelivery slide or the like (as more fully explained in the followingdiscussion of FIGS. 9-14) by linear movement of a round-advacing pawl79. Pivotally mounted on the magazine and adjacent this slide is amagazine round pawl 80, which is so proportioned and arranged that ifthere is a round in the delivery slide, at the magazine output, thesucceeding rounds in that magazine will be held arrested. On the otherhand, if there is no round in the delivery slide at the magazine, thenthe magazine round pawl 80 will permit one round to drop into thedelivery slide. In other words, the magazine round pawl 80 senses thepresence of a round in the delivery slide in the output of the magazine(i.e., the position of round 78, FIG. 8). If a round is there present,or if a round is coming into that position through the side of themagazine, then all the other rounds in the magazine are held stationary.If a round is absent, then the action of the magazine round pawl 80 issuch that it is supplied. a

The round 78 is moved out of the output of the magazine and along thedelivery slide by reason of the action of the round-advancing pawl 79.

The cycle of operation of the FIGS. 6-8 magazine is as follows (and thiswill be amplified in the description of the complete ammunition deliveryslide later to come):

First, the magazine round pawl 80 is held in its position as shown inFIG. 8i.e., in a static condition, because round 78 tends to turn itclockwise and the succeeding round 81 tends to turn it counterclockwise;

Second, the round-advance pawl 79 is actuated to push round 78 outwardlytoward the delivery point--i.e., forwardly in the delivery slide;

Third, as the round-advance pawl 79 is retracted, round 81 pushesmagazine round pawl 80 counterclockwise and drops onto the slide, thenround 81 is advanced in the delivery slide, and this cycle of operationcontinues until the last round 75 is delivered.

It should be noted that, in the event that the round 78 when deliveredis replaced by a round from another source and located behind and inalignment with round 78, then the action of pawl 79, on advancing, willbe to deliver that round and not round 81, which, in such event, will beheld arrested. This point will be discussed further below.

The alternate form of magazine as shown in FIGS. 6-8 is particularlyadapted to be used in a plurality to form a complete ammunition supplycontaining a very large number of rounds. That is, a plurality ofmagazines 99, like the FIGS. 6-8 magazine, are placed side by side, andthese are provided with one common delivery slide (FIG. 9), whichdelivery slide is in communication with the cross-feed slide 24 of thegun so that, one at a time, as desired, the ammunition supply placesammunition in line for acceptance by.the cross-feed mechanism. Forexample, round A of FIGS. 9 and 12 corresponds to and is in the sameposition as round of FIGS. 29-33 of the grandparent and parent patentapplications. The troughlike delivery slide 103 is so shaped andproportioned as to position round A to press the outboard bifurcationsof the holding pawls (such as 159, FIG. 33 of the grandparent and parentpatent applications) inboard.

The operation of the FIG. 9 ammunition supply is such that each magazinefirst places one round in slide 103, and then the magazine 95 to therear is first exhausted and the other magazines 96-99 are progressivelyexhausted, one by one, until the front magazine 99 is empty. FIG. 12shows that the round designated A from the magazine 99 is first in lineto be processed by the cross-feed mechanism. Rounds designated B, C, D,E and F, originating from magazines 98-95, 95, respectively, are next inline. A total of one hundred rounds in the entire supply is assumed,twenty rounds per magazine. The rounds are numbered in five series, ofwhich the first is A-T, the second is A(2)-T(2), etc., through A(5)T(5).Rounds E-T and A(2)D(2), as delivered to the delivery slide 103,originate from the rearmost magazine 95, and that magazine 95 willcontinue to supply ammunition to slide 103 until it is exhausted. Whileammunition is being supplied to the slide 103 by the last magazine 95,the lower portions of the round pawls 105, 106, 107, and 108, 'beingT-shaped in "configuration, Will sense the presence of closelyunderlying rounds in, or sliding on slide 103 into, their respectivemagazines 96-99 and will therefore hold arrested all rounds, in theirrespective magazines behind the leading position. For example, roundpawl 106 will hold arrested rounds D(3), E(3), etc., in magazine 97(FIG. 13).

In describing the repetitive cycle of operation of the FIGS. 9-14quintuple-rnagazine ammunition supply, the following conditions areassumed:

Rounds A and B(5)-T(5) are in magazine 99;

Rounds B and C(4)T(4) and A(5) are in magazine 98;

Rounds C and D(3)T(3) and A(4)-B(4) are in magazine 97;

Rounds D and E(2)-T(2) and A(3)-C(3) are in magazine 96;

Rounds E-T and A(2)-D(2) are in magazine 95;

Each magazine supplies twenty rounds;

The reciprocating slide, carrying advance pawls 109- 113, makes onehundred advance strokes;

FIGS. 10-12 show the conditions before, during, and after, respectively,the first stroke;

The rounds as delivered are designated by five sequences, A-T, A(2)-T(2)through A(5)T(5);

Rounds A-E are on the slide;

FIG. 13 illustrates the position of magazine pawl 106 during strokesNos. 1-40;

FIG. 14 illustrates the position of magazine pawl 106 at the end ofstroke 41.

The delivery slide 103 is a linearly reciprocating oscillating troughunderlying the output or leading round of each magazine and projectingsubstantially centrally (but offset) through each, in order to pick upand advance the output rounds. On the slide 103 are pivotally mountedsuitable spring-biased advance pawls 109-113, one for each magazine.FIG. 9 shows a stack of five magazines 9599. Reciprocating motion of thedelivery slide 103 is provided by a suitable drive. To give a preferredexample, the delivery slide may be mechanically ganged to the operatingrod group for that purpose. Backstroke or retraction of the deliveryslide 103 causes an advance pawl to slip behind each round in the tube.Forward motion of the delivery slide 103 then advances one round forwardto suitable chuting (not shown) or directly to the cross-feed slide 14(see round A, FIGS. 9-12).

FIG. 13 shows a magazine sensing pawl 106 in operation. A sensing pawlis a working part of each magazine and is located at the magazineoutput. The sensing pawl has two functions: to allow only one round at atime to be released into the delivery slide; and to sense an empty spacein the delivery slide, thereby insuring consecutive feeding from themagazine when the next adjacent magazine to the rear is exhausted.

The magazine sensing pawl accomplishes both functions with a singlepivoting action in the manner of a verge. Assuming that the deliveryslide 103 returns empty beneath a magazine in the stack (such as 97,FIG. 14), the next round (such as D(3), FIG. 14) in that magazine, underforce of the magazine drive spring, earns the lower end of the sensingpawl 106 toward the delivery slide as it passes over the pivot 83. Assoon as the round (such as D(3), FIG. 14) passes over the pivot point83, it forces the lower end of the sensing pawl out of the deliveryslide 103. At the same time, the upper end of the sensing pawl rotatestoward the magazine to block the following rounds (such as E(3), FIG.14). Thus, only one round per cycle will feed into the delivery slide.For example, round D(3) is not fed until after the stroke No. 41 f theadvance pawls is completed.

The magazine sensing pawl action of elements 104408 insures that themagazines 95-99 will feed consecutively from rear to front, dependingupon the arrangement of magazines. Assuming that the magazine 95 hasemptied, the delivery slide 103 will move forward with an empty sectionunder pawl 105. For example, after the stroke No. 21 is complete and theslide has moved around E forward one step and the slide 103 retracts,pawl 105 will sense no ammunition in its section of the slide and willlet round E(2) fall into the slide 103. Similarly, after stroke No. 41,pawl 106 will let round D(3) fall.

The rounds are delivered by the FIGS. 9l4 ammunition supply to thecross-feed mechanism in the sequence indicated by this table:

Stroke of the Round Deliv- Magazine Notes on Magazine Be Delivery eredto Crossof Origin coming Empty Slide 103 Slide 24 01 Round No. 4 96None.

No. '1 95 95 emptied at stroke No.

No.21 A (2) through 95 20; E[ and A (2)D(2) through through D positionedon cross-feed No. 24. (2). slide 24 successively,

ending with stroke N o. 24.

No. 25 E (2) through 06 96 emptied at stroke No.

through '1 (2). 40; D and E (2)'1 (2) No. 40. and A (3)-C (3) posi- No.41 A (3) through tioned on cross-feed slide through 0 (3). 24successively, ending No. 43 with stroke No. 43.

No. 44 D (3) through 97 97 emptied at stroke No. through '1. (3). 1(it); C and D (3)'I (3) No. (it). and A (4)B i) posi- No. 01 A l)through tioned on cross-feed slide through 13 (4). 24 successively,ending No. 02. with stroke N0. 02.

Stroke of the Round Deliv- Magazine Notes on Magazine Be- Delivery eredto Crossof Origin coming Empty Slide 103 Slide 24 of Round N o. 63 0 1)through 98 98 emptied at stroke No. through '1 (4). B and C (4)T (4) No.80. and A (5) positioned on No. 81 A (5) 98 cross-teed slide 24sucocssively, ending with stroke No. 81.

N o. 82 B (5) through 99 99 emptied at stroke No. through .1 (5). 100; Aand B (5)[ (5) .No. 100. positioned on cross-iced slide 24 successively,ending with stroke N o. 100.

It should be noted that whereas the (FIG. 3 magazine works directly intothe mouth 30 of the gun and is p0- sitioned relative to the gun in themanner indicated in FIG. 3, the magazine embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 donot feed the output ammunition in a direction transverse to the gun butthey feed the output ammunition onto the cross-feed slide 24 in adirection transverse to that slide and parallel to the axis of the gun,as indicated in FIG. 12. In such case, the mouth 30 of the receiver isso short that the slide 24, when outboard, projects outwardly from it.

While there has been shown and described what is at present consideredto be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A magazine for supplying ammunition, comprising:

a housing having a central axis;

a helically wound guide disposed within said housing and having anoutput end;

means for urging ammunition contained in said guide radially inwardlytoward said output end;

pawl means for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition is presentat said output end and, in h event that the answer is negative, forpermitting a round to be supplied at said output end;

and means for driving, transversely from said magazine and in thedirection of said axis, a round present at said output end, thelast-mentioned means including a round advance pawl movably mounted onsaid housing.

2. In a multi-magazine ammunition supply for delivering ammunition intandem, the combination of:

a delivery slide, said slide being mounted for linear reciprocatingsliding movement, to advance to discharge ammunition in a cadence of onedischarged round per advance, and to retract to pick up ammunition;

a plurality of spaced-'r-ound-advancing pawls mounted on said deliveryslide, said pawls being so constructed and arranged as to advance roundsone step at a time during each advancement of the slide but to slipunder the rounds without moving the rounds during each retraction of theslide;

and a plurality of drum-like magazines positioned faceto-face, eachmagazine comprising a housing;

a helically wound guide disposed within said housing and having anoutput end;

means for urging ammunition contained in the guide radially inwardlytoward its output end; and

means for sensing whether or not a round of ammunition is present at theoutput end and, in the event that the answer is negative, for permittinga round to be supplied at the output end, but, in the event that theanswer is aflirma- 9 tive, for inhibiting the supply of ammunition to2,114,821 the output end; 2,596,293 said slide passing transverselythrough all of the maga- 3,343,456

zine housings at the output ends.

References Cited 5 79,716 463,601

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,263 11/1918 Lo'hne.

10 4/ 1938- Thomas. 5/1952 Sch alkli 8933 9/ 1967 Christiansson 89-33FOREIGN PATENTS 1/ 1920- Austria. 12/1913 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primal Examiner.

6/1925 Haubroe 89-33 10 S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner.

